The Royal Stoke was one of several hospitals in England to declare a "major incident" earlier in the month

As the pre-election tension mounts, so do the stress levels of the election strategists, contemplating parts of the country like ours, famous for our marginal or "swing" seats, which can have such a significant bearing on the outcome.

More than half of the 188 staff at the new library's staff are to be cut, and opening hours halved

Next year's £117m savings proposed by Birmingham City Council mean 1,100 more job losses.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council set out plans to save £31m with the loss of 500 jobs on the very day the chancellor's Autumn Statement confirmed we are not even halfway through the so-called 'Austerity Cuts'.

Mr Osborne said in a recent interview with the Birmingham Post that there was no one-size-fits-all model

"We have delivered in Manchester and my door is open to other cities who want to follow their cross-party lead."

George Osborne's overture to major cities who have yet to benefit from the sort of largesse he showered on the "Northern Powerhouse" during his Autumn Statement clearly ramps-up the pressure on council leaders in places like Coventry and Solihull.

The University of Birmingham's chancellor has called for an increase in the number of international students

Immigration seems to be the big issue driving our politics - from every doorstep on every street, to Westminster, Brussels and beyond, right up to the general election and who knows for how long after that.

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